John Parry motoring as he builds four-shot lead

JOHN Parry, who splashed out on a Vauxhall Astra after winning on the European Tour for the first time a fortnight ago, is on course to be able to afford a more lavish treat after storming into a four-stroke lead at the halfway stage in the £3.1 million Dunhill Links Championship.

• European Ryder Cup player Rory McIlroy chips on to the green at the 17th at St Andrews yesterday on the way to shooting 74, 13 shots adrift of the leader, Englishman John Parry Picture: SNS

European major winners Martin Kaymer (USPGA, left) and Graeme McDowell (US Open) pose with their trophies alongside the Ryder Cup captain, Colin Montgomerie, at St Andrews Picture: Getty Images

The 23-year-old Englishman, who played on the same Walker Cup team as Rory McIlroy in 2007, burst clear of the chasing pack after carding a seven-under-par 65 at St Andrews yesterday for a 12-under-par total, having opened the pro-am event with a 67 at Kingsbarns on Thursday.

While the 177,500 winner's cheque from the Vivendi Cup in Paris hasn't been deposited into Parry's bank account yet, he's already spent some of it. "I bought a car - a Vauxhall Astra. I would have bought something a bit nicer, but I've only learnt to drive, so the insurance companies don't like me at the moment," said the Yorkshireman.

He pocketed enough in France to buy either an Aston Martin or a Ferrari and, with 502,000 going to the winner here, he would be able to splash out on two Rolls Royce Corniche convertibles and still have something left over for a few tanks of petrol for them.

It has taken Parry a bit longer to find his feet in the paid ranks than some of the others who played in that Walker Cup match at Royal Co Down three years ago. In addition to McIlroy, Rhys Davies and David Horsey are other members of the GB&I side that have also won on the European Tour, while Danny Willett has also been knocking at the door.

The team, which was captained by Colin Dalgleish, also included Lloyd Saltman, who beat the likes of Parry on a regular basis in the amateur ranks but, thus far at least, has been unable to re-produce that sort of form in the paid ranks.

Reflecting on his time on the PGA EuroPro, the third division in European golf effectively, Parry said: "When you see everyone else playing on the European Tour and the Challenge Tour, it's not a great feeling knowing you were on the same team as them six months earlier.

"I think it was costing me about 275 (per event] to play on the EuroPro Tour and, at that point, I didn't have any money at all. If I did win, it wasn't very much. I think I came out about even."

Asked if he felt Saltman, who has been playing on the EuroPro Tour himself this season, had to stay patient as he tries to get a foothold at a higher level, he commented: "I think so. I thought he would come out and win - easily. I thought he had the game and when he seemed to get in a position to win, he was doing it three weeks in a row.

"I don't know what has happened, to be perfectly honest, but I think he can (get here as well), yeah. He's got the game, definitely."

Parry, who graduated from the Challenge Tour last year, had been encouraged by making five cuts in a row before securing the big breakthrough in Paris, where, ironically, the event was also played in a pro-am format.

"Hopefully it's the same outcome (here]," he remarked after a second round that contained five birdies in six holes from the first - his tenth after starting out at the Loop. "I've pretty much holed every putt for two days - it's always going to be a big help when you're doing that," he added. "Especially in the wind, when you're always going to be struggling to get up and down from different positions."

On a day that could hardly have been more of a contrast to the glorious sunshine on Thursday - the waterproofs, hats and mitts were on in the dreich conditions at all three venues - Parry's clubhouse target was never under threat.

Swede Martin Erlandson, who had a four-under-par 68 at Carnoustie, is the closest challenger heading into the third round, with two members of Europe's winning Ryder Cup side - Ross Fisher and Martin Kaymer - a shot further back alongside the Spaniard, Alvaro Quiros.

Erlandsson, a 26-year-old from Bunkeflostrand, badly needs a big cheque here as he's languishing at 175th in the Race to Dubai. A win for Graeme McDowell tomorrow would certainly round off his year and, lying only six shots the pace, the US Open champion and man who clinched that Ryder Cup win in Wales is lurking ominously in an event he's come close to winning once before, losing to Stephen Gallacher in a play-off six years ago.

Padraig Harrington, a two-time winner, is seven behind along with defending champion Simon Dyson, Ryder Cup vice captain Thomas Bjorn and the Paraguayan, Fabrizio Zanotti.

Of the other Ryder Cup men, Francesco Molinari is in the top 20 on three-under, Lee Westwood is next on two-under, two less than his captain, Colin Montgomerie, with Rory McIlroy and Edoardo Molinari (one-over) and Peter Hanson (three-over) bringing up the rear.

After his level-par 72 at St Andrews, Westwood admitted he could be set to take another break due to his calf injury. "It was much the same as yesterday," said the Englishman. "I'm just struggling with it and I'm probably just going to get through this week and make a decision."

Parry, who is playing with businessman Simon Andrews, also tops the leaderboard in the team event along with Finn Mikko Ilonen and Lisa O'Hurley on 12-under.

They are two shots ahead of Dermot Desmond, Celtic's majority shareholder, and Robert Karlsson.

All three courses are still in action today - Parry and the Ryder Cup heroes move on to Carnoustie - before St Andrews takes centre stage for tomorrow's final round, which involves the top 60 and ties among the professionals and the top 20 teams.